Revenue from sales taxes continues upward spiral in Mahoning Valley

Sales-tax figures from the Ohio Department of Taxation show continuing gains across the Mahoning Valley, with modest upward collection rates in June and July, demonstrating consumers seem inclined to spend more this year than last.

The most recent data, which runs through July, is delayed because of the 60-day turnaround required for merchants to report the figures and the time it takes for the Department of Taxation to process the funds and dole them out to both the state and its 88 counties.

“Generally, it’s safe to say that when sales-tax receipts are up — the economy is up — there’s definitely a correlation there,” said Gary Gudmundson, chief spokesman for the ODT.

After a sea change in positive year-over-year gains from March through May, Columbiana County was once again the leading beneficiary, with a 10 percent increase in June, collecting nearly $2 million. In July, the county’s sales tax shot up 25 percent from the same month a year earlier to about $1.4 million.

Read the full story with more data on sales-tax revenue for the Mahoning Valley on Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.

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